THOUGHTS FOR TODAY… About Steelbands on truck beds.

If I had my way , I’d discourage steelbands from setting up on truck beds , and have them use mobile platforms, built as low to the ground as possible, instead.

Of course these platforms would be drawn by trucks , tractors etc.

(Even speaker and amplifiers could be added to the platform, but that’s a different story).

I have no scientific evidence of this , but I do believe that something is lost in the way the pans resonate with the people, and possibly the natural surroundings (the ground , buildings etc.) when the band is high up on a truck bed, setting the band apart from the people, and making it more difficult to connect with the band emotionally, and to really “feel” the music. .

This is another factor that cannot help distancing the band from its supporters as they do not feel that special “pan vibration”, that is created by proximity to the instruments.

This proximity to the band is also a reason why band rehearsals on the track prior to the panorama stage performance remain an immensely popular aspect of panorama , even to this day.

And , on a slightly different subject…

Regarding a strong presence of steelbands displaying and promoting themselves on the streets of T&T at carnival time, I’ve concluded that If pan is the National instrument of Trinidad and Tobago, there’s no reason that accommodations like special hours, routes etc cannot be made for steelbands, say on carnival Monday when little is going on.
Even setting restrictions on DJs,

By, law if necessary.

That’s why I give little significance to all this talk about “National Instrument”
To me, it’s meaningless
I’ve come to the conclusion there’s no desire or interest by pan people , so we make excuses as to why it cannot be done.

As they say, it is what it is!